John Lee, former Village of Loch Arbour Board of Trustee, defends his decision to vote for Village Clerk Lorraine Cafara's severance package at Tuesday's special meeting.

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It was standing room only Tuesday evening when the Board of Commissioners of the Village of Loch Arbour assembled to discuss the legality of an almost $700,000 severance package cut last year for Village Clerk Lorraine Carafa.

The deal, which allegedly was done behind closed doors, would go into place only if Loch Arbour merged with neighboring Allenhurst, a possibility that Mayor Paul V. Fernicola said he was confident will take place.

The agreement includes 46 weeks of severance pay at $89,000; 150 days of unused vacation and sick days at $66,000; and fully paid lifetime health benefits ...